Hamilton struggle in constantly answering ‘clear cries for help’
Hamilton struggle in constantly answering ‘clear cries for help’
Lewis Hamilton has made clear he can only offer so much of himself as he attempts to respond to the multiple cries for help he receives on a daily basis.
Hamilton has long been an activist but since taking up the 'Black Lives Matter' cause following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis in 2020, the seven-time F1 champion thrust himself into the global spotlight.
Over time, Hamilton has nobly fought for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, primarily in motorsport, initially setting up the Hamilton Commission in June 2020 aimed at increasing the number of Black people.
Hamilton then helped Mercedes set up Accelerate 25, a five-year programme that set a target of 25 percent of all new starters on the team should come from under-represented groups.
Last year, Hamilton founded Mission 44, a charitable foundation seeking to transform the lives of young people from underserved backgrounds by narrowing opportunity gaps in education and employment.
READ MORE...Hamilton and Verstappen beaten by Ocon in bizarre most handsome driver survey
Understandably, Hamilton has become a go-to figure for other causes and charities seeking his patronage to further their own aims.
The 37-year-old is doing all he can but concedes he has to pick and choose.
"There are so many things that I'll see and I'm like 'Shoot', and it hits a nerve," said Hamilton, speaking to this writer in a recent interview for The New York Times.
"You're like 'Okay, I'll speak out'. I speak about a lot of different things. Caring is a good thing, and it doesn't matter what it is you're caring about. I personally think you can care for as many things as you want.
"But I'm definitely finding you can't do everything and you're only one person. I've definitely learned how to really narrow it down and put as much energy and focus into a particular area."
Hamilton recalled attending a function at the British Embassy in Brasilia prior to the São Paulo Grand Prix in November during which he says he met with "so many different people from different NGOs [non-governmental organisations] telling me the things they're fighting for".
He added: "In that moment, I was like 'I want to learn more about it', so I'll go away and read about it. I'm going to be on so many flights reading about what these different NGOs are doing.
"I'm being asked every day, multiple times in the day, to be ambassadors for so many different organisations. There's this clear cry for help. There are so many people trying to do big important things and impactful things.
"I've just got to remember there's only so much of me, and so what I just try to do is praise them. Hopefully, that brings more eyes, and maybe me being there also helps bring eyes to what they're doing."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Hamilton opens up on Wolff talks over Ferrari move as Verstappen SLAMS F1 decision - GPFans F1 Recap
- 40 minutes ago
F1 Sprint Qualifying Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- 1 hour ago
Marko suggests 'exciting' move to REPLACE Ricciardo
- 2 hours ago
F1 Practice Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- 2 hours ago
2024 Sprint changes show F1 is listening to fix imperfect format
- 3 hours ago
F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Full track layout for Shanghai International Circuit
- 3 hours ago
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
-
GP JAPAN
5 - 7 Apr
Max Verstappen
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
- GP CANADA 7 - 9 Jun
Related news
Brundle questions Ferrari Hamilton decision with Vettel comparison
EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton to Ferrari 'a big risk' according to McLaren driver
Hamilton to open Wolff talks at Mercedes amid Ferrari F1 move uncertainty
Hamilton gains HUGE win over Verstappen at unusual venue
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860